GRE & SAT Vocabulary: Part 2 of 56 (21 – 40)

21) affinity (n) (formal) /əˈfɪnəti/: a liking or sympathy for someone or something, especially because of shared characteristics

Example: She seems to have a natural affinity for/with cats. 

S: affection, closeness, fondness, rapport (UK /ræpˈɔː/ US /ræpˈɔːr/), sympathy, weakness, attraction /əˈtrækʃən/

A: dislike /dɪˈslaɪk/, hate, hatred /ˈheɪtrɪd/, dissimilarity /ˌdɪsɪmɪˈlarɪti/

22) aggravate (v) /ˈæɡrəveɪt/: i. to make an illness or a bad or unpleasant situation worse

Examples: a) His toothache was aggravated after taking medicine prescribed by a local quack. b) Military intervention will only aggravate the conflict even further.

 S: complicate, deepen, exacerbate /ɪɡˈzæsə(r)beɪt/, inflame, deteriorate (UK /dɪˈtɪəriəreɪt/ US /dɪˈtɪriəreɪt/), worsen

A: decrease, lower, calm, minimize, reduce, soothe /suːð/, weaken, decline

23) agile (adj) (UK /ˈædʒaɪl/ US /ˈædʒl/): able to move quickly and easily

Example: He is a strong and agile athlete. 

 S: athletic, quick, rapid, supple /ˈsʌp(ə)l/, active, brisk, vigorous, sporty

A: inactive, lazy, lethargic  /ləˈθɑː(r)dʒɪk/, lifeless, slow, sluggish  

24) agog (adj) (UK /əˈɡɒɡ/ US /əˈɡɑːɡ/) [not before noun]: excited and very interested to find out something

Example: We were all agog with curiosity. 

S: anxious, avid, breathless, eager, enthusiastic UK /ɪnθjuːziˈæstɪk/ US /ɪnθuː.ziˈæstɪk/, excited /ɪkˈsaɪtɪd/, expectant /ɪkˈspektənt/, impatient

A: indifferent, unconcerned, uninterested, apathetic /ˌæpəˈθetɪk/, incurious

25) ail (v) /eɪl/: (formal) to cause problems for somebody/something

Example: They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry.

 S: trouble, worry, bother, distress, pain, upset, annoy

A: aid, help, assist

26) alacrity (UN) /əˈlækrəti/ ( formal ): great willingness or enthusiasm

 Example: They accepted the offer with alacrity.

 S: alertness /əˈlɜː(r)tnəs/, avidity, cheerfulness, eagerness, enthusiasm

A: apathy  /ˈæpəθi/, coolness, discouragement, indifference, lethargy, aversion, disinclination  /ˌdɪsɪŋklɪˈneɪʃən/

27) alcove (CN) /ˈælkəʊv/: an area in a room that is formed by part of a wall being built farther back than the rest of the wall

 Example: The bookcase fits neatly into the alcove.

 S: recess  /rɪˈses/, corner, bay, niche, bower /ˈbaʊ.ər/,  cubbyhole  /ˈkʌbihəʊl/

28) ale (CN, UN) /eɪl/: a type of beer, usually sold in bottles or cans.

Example: There are several kinds of ale.

 S: brew /bruː/, malt /mɒlt/, suds  /sʌdz/, beer

29) smart alec (CN) UK /ˈsmɑːt ælɪk/ US /ˈsmɑːrt ælɪk/ (BrE) (informal, disapproving) (NAmE smart aleck)  (also ˈsmarty-pants) (BrE also ˈsmart-arse) (AmE also ˈsmart-ass): a person who thinks they are very clever and likes to show people this in an annoying way

 S: know-it-all, wise guy, big mouth

A: trendsetter /ˈtrendˌset.ər/

30) allegiance (CN, UN) /əˈliːdʒəns/: a person’s continued support for a political party, religion, ruler, etc.

 Examples: a) to switch/transfer/change allegiance

b) an oath/a vow/a statement of allegiance

c) People of various party allegiances joined the campaign.

d) to pledge/swear allegiance (to somebody/something)

e) He affirmed his allegiance to the president.

 S: adherence  /ədˈhɪərəns/, dedication, devotion, faithfulness, fealty /ˈfiːlti/, fidelity /fɪˈdeləti/, obedience

Ant: apathy /ˈæpəθi/, dishonor  /dɪˈsɒnər/, disloyalty, disobedience, treachery  /ˈtretʃəri/, enmity  /ˈenməti/, treason /ˈtriːzən/

Learn GRE & SAT Vocabulary: Part 1 of 56 (01 – 20) here.

Learn GRE & SAT Vocabulary: Part 3 of 56 (41 – 60) here. 

31) alleviate (v) /əˈliːvieɪt/: to make something less severe

 Example: A number of measures were taken to alleviate the problem.

 S: ease, reduce, relieve, moderate, diminish, soften /ˈsɒfn/, check, blunt  /blʌnt/, soothe, subdue UK /səbˈdʒuː/ US /səbˈduː/, lessen, lighten, quell,  mitigate, abate, assuage /əˈsweɪdʒ/, mollify, palliate /ˈpælieɪt/

A: increase  /ɪnˈkriːs/, intensify, irritate, worsen, aggravate /ˈæɡrəveɪt/, heighten /ˈhaɪtən/

32) alloy (CN, UN) /ˈælɔɪ/: a metal that is formed by mixing two types of metal together, or by mixing metal with another substance

 Example: Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc.

 S: mixture, combination, compound, blend, hybrid, composite UK /ˈkɒmpəzɪt/ US /kəmˈpɑːzət/, amalgam, admixture

A: division, separation

33) aloof (adj) /əˈluːf/ [not usually before noun]: not friendly or interested in other people

Examples: a) He was a cold man, aloof and distant. b) She stayed aloof while the argument went on around her.

S: detached, distant, indifferent, stand-offish (informal), unresponsive, unfriendly

A: compassionate, friendly, kind, sympathetic /ˌsɪmpəˈθetɪk/, warm, sociable /ˈsəʊʃəbəl/

34) amalgamate (v) /əˈmælɡəmeɪt/ : [intransitive, transitive] if two organizations amalgamate or are amalgamated, they join together to form one large organization

Examples: a) A number of colleges have amalgamated to form the new university. b) The company has now amalgamated with another local firm. c) They decided to amalgamate the two schools. d) The two companies were amalgamated into one.

35) ambidextrous (adj) /ˌæmbiˈdekstrəs/: able to use the left hand or the right hand equally well

Example: He is a promising, ambidextrous golfer.

36) ambiguous (adj) /æmˈbɪɡjuəs/ that can be understood in more than one way; having different meanings

 Examples: a) an ambiguous word/term/statement b) Her account was deliberately ambiguous.

S: unclear, puzzling, uncertain, obscure, vague, doubtful, dubious, enigmatic, indefinite, inconclusive, cryptic  /ˈkrɪptɪk/, indeterminate /ˌɪndɪˈtɜː(r)mɪnət/, equivocal /ɪˈkwɪvəkəl/, Delphic /ˈdelfɪk/

A: clear, simple, specific, obvious, plain, explicit /ɪkˈsplɪsɪt/, definite, unmistakable, unequivocal, unquestionable, unambiguous

37) ambivalent (adj) /æmˈbɪvələnt/: ~ (about/towards sb/something): having or showing both good and bad feelings about somebody/something

Examples: a) She seems to feel ambivalent about her new job. b) He has an ambivalent attitude towards her.

 S: undecided, mixed, conflicting, uncertain, doubtful, contradictory, wavering, unresolved, hesitant  /ˈhezɪtənt/, inconclusive /ˌɪnkəŋˈkluːsɪv/, equivocal, irresolute /ɪˈrezəluːt/

A: clear, decided, sure, certain, convinced, positive, definite, conclusive, unwavering

38) ambrosia (UN) /æmˈbrəʊziə/: the food eaten by Greek and Roman gods, or a very pleasant food which could be compared with this

Example: The chocolate mousse (/muːs/) she makes is sheer ambrosia (= tastes extremely good).

S: delicacy  /ˈdelɪkəsi/, nectar, heavenly food

39) ameliorate (v) /əˈmiːliəreɪt/: ~ sth ( formal ) to make something better

Example: Steps have been taken to ameliorate the situation.

S: alleviate, lighten, mitigate /ˈmɪtɪɡeɪt/, improve, assuage /əˈsweɪdʒ/

A: aggravate /ˈæɡrəveɪt/, intensify, worsen

40) amortize (v) (BrE also -ise ) UK /əˈmɔːtaɪz/ US /ˈæmərtaɪz/: ~ something (business): to pay back a debt by making small regular payments over a period of time

Example: They pay monthly loan payments based on a formula that amortizes the debt over 15 years, at 8 percent interest.

 

 

Prepared by

Mohammad Fardous Rahman

MA in English Language Teaching (ELT)

TEPT (online), Oregon University, USA

 

Dictionaries consulted:

• https://www.collinsdictionary.com/
• https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/
• https://dictionary.cambridge.org/
• https://www.thesaurus.com/
• https://www.powerthesaurus.org/
• https://www.macmillandictionary.com/
• https://www.thefreedictionary.com/
• https://www.ldoceonline.com/ (Longman Dictionary)
• https://www.freecollocation.com/